The Right to Peacefully Choose

The Bali police have preparations well in hand to ensure a safe and secure execution of the legislative elections set to take place in Bali in April 2013.

The Bali Chief of Police General Albertus Julius Benny Mokalu told Republika.co.id on Tuesday, December 10, 2013, “We will go ‘all out’ to safeguard the elections; there are 12,000 officers that we can deploy on a moment’s notice.”

In safeguarding the elections, the Chief of Police said the police would also be helped by the Armed Forces, regional administrations and neighborhood groupings.

General Mokalu said it is his desire that the police spearhead a safe and peaceful electoral process. To achieve this, he said the police must behave professionally and according to procedure in undertaking their responsibilities.

As the "spearhead" of a peaceful election, the Chief of Police said his office would maximize the use of 686 personnel from the Agency for Creating Security and Public Order (Babinkamtibmas). “We have invited them to share a common vision, mission and perception with our officers in the field.,” said General Mokalu.

As part of creating a conducive situation for the coming elections, Motalu’s office will share its understanding with the public on the laws surrounding the election, the role of the police must play in the electoral process and the neutrality of the police in ensuring the outcome of voting.

The legislative election will take place on April 8, 2014, while the Presidential election will take place on July 9, 2014.